Toolkit FAQ

[Japandrew73]

Many times, the toolkit in your e30 may be incomplete, and if it is complete, you may not know what each tool does or where it should go. This thread should help with that.

Almost every e30 you will see, is equipped with a small toolkit. Complete, it should look like this:

Here is what each part is called and what each part does:
1. Emergency Window Crank - Used with part #10 and #6. This Part is not used on e30's. The e28 shared the same toolkit as the e30. Some e28 toolkits were small just like the e30, and to save in production costs, the same tool tray was developed. So there are holes for parts #1 and #10, however these tools are not used on an e30. They should be used on an e28 to manually crank the windows up in an emergency. The rig together like this:

2. Open-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 17-19 (If you don't know what a wrench does, you might be retarded)
3. Open-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 12-13 (If you don't know what a wrench does, you might be retarded)
4. Open-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 8-10 (If you don't know what a wrench does, you might be retarded)
5. Water Pump Pliers - These are used for the typical plier use, or of use on your water pump
6. Screwdriver - This screwdriver is reversible and features phillips and flathead on each end
7. Emergency Window/Sunroof Crank - This tool was, unlike parts #1 and #10, made for the e30. In case of emergency and your electric windows fail to crank up, you can use this tool. Most e30's with electric windows will have a little black circle in the middle of their door panel. Pop open the circle and there will be a little hole in the middle of a motor in which this tool may be used to crank. Also, for those with electric sunroofs, pop open the little black square up by the sunroof button and you will see a little hole in which this tool may be used to crank up or down in an emergency.

8. Pin - refer to part #9 description. Also used to guide your wheel into the lug hole.
9. Spark Plug Wrench - This tool is used to remove your spark plugs. However, with no leverage, it makes for a useless tool alone to remove your spark plugs. Working with part #8, the spark plug wrench now has leverage to remove the spark plugs. See assembly pictures:


10. Emergency Window Rod - Refer to part #1 description


All part numbers can be found here:

http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E30/2-doors/Europe/318i-M10/LHD/M/1984/september/browse/equipment_parts/tool_box_small/

Part numbers for e28 emergency window tools can be found here:

http://www.bmwmobiletradition-online.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=4274&mospid=47230&btnr=51_0364&hg=51&fg=10&hl=73

[Japandrew73]

For euro e30's, an option was to have a large toolkit. The large toolkit was the same large toolkit used by the e28, so a few tools will match. When completed, it will look like this:

1. Blue Polishing Cloth - This cloth can be used for whatever you like, however it's most common use is to wipe the dipstick. This part is NLA.
2. 10mm Spark plug wrench - This tool can be used for 10mm hex nuts. It works together with part #14. Alone, the 10mm wrench has no leverage and is useless, but part #14 helps it and becomes a useful tool.


3. Small Red Screwdriver - This screwdriver is much like the grey one featured in the small toolkit, however, the red handle is the important part. There are 3 different types of small reversible screwdrivers. There are Red, Green, and Grey. The Red ones are the original screwdriver that came with the car when it was new. These are NLA and exclusive to large toolkits. The Green screwdriver is what you get when you go for a replacement. It looks similar to the red and grey screwdrivers, however it doesn't quite fit right into the toolkit. These are still available and exclusive to large toolkits. The grey screwdrivers are offered as replacements and fit to all small toolkit up to the most current model. These are still available. To be sure the red screwdriver is Authentic, printed on it is says "DBGM" which means trademark, and "Made in W Germany".
4. Combination Pliers - These pliers can be used for normal plier use. They are NLA and are much like the green screwdrivers. You can use the part number to order the pliers, however you will get pliers that are slightly larger than the original and do not fit into the fit properly. The way to differentiate, is the original NLA combination pliers that do fit in the toolkit say HEYCO on both handles, and obviously they fit.
5. Close-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 8-10 - (If you don't know what a wrench is used for, you might be retarded)
6. Close-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 12-13 - (If you don't know what a wrench is used for, you might be retarded)
7. Close-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 17-19 - (If you don't know what a wrench is used for, you might be retarded)
8. Open-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 8-10 (If you don't know what a wrench does, you might be retarded)
9. Open-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 12-13 (If you don't know what a wrench does, you might be retarded)
10. Open-Ended Spanner Wrench, size 17-19 (If you don't know what a wrench does, you might be retarded)
11. Long Red Flathead Screwdriver - This Screwdriver has two different types, red and green. The Red handle screwdriver was the original one that came with the car. These are NLA The green screwdriver is any replacement screwdriver you try to order with the part number from the red screwdriver. These are still available. To be sure the Red screwdriver is authentic, it should be moulded in place (not reversible) and either have HEYCO moulded on the side of it, or have HEYCO printed in white on the side of it.
12. Antenna Cleaner Packet - This was thrown into ever large toolkit and is a little wipe that is used to clean your antenna. These are NLA. The original ones are in a chrome packet like pictured, the reproductions are in a white packet. The part number for the reproduction packet is 82 0511 011
and will look like this:

Here are the originals


13. Water Pump Pliers - These are used for the typical plier use, or of use on your water pump
14. Pin - See part #15 and #2 description. Also used to guide your wheel into the lug hole.
15. Spark Plug Wrench - Spark Plug Wrench - This tool is used to remove your spark plugs. However, with no leverage, it makes for a useless tool alone to remove your spark plugs. Working with part #14, the spark plug wrench now has leverage to remove the spark plugs. See assembly pictures:


16. Emergency Window Crank Rod - Used with part #3 and #18. This Part is not used on e30's. The e28 shared the same toolkit as the e30. Some e28 toolkits were large just like the euro e30, and to save in production costs, the same tool tray was developed. So there are holes for parts #18 and #16, however these tools are not used on an e30. They should be used on an e28 to manually crank the windows up in an emergency. The rig together like this:


17. Emergency Window/Sunroof Crank - This tool was, unlike parts #16 and #18, made for the e30. In case of emergency and your electric windows fail to crank up, you can use this tool. Most e30's with electric windows will have a little black circle in the middle of their door panel. Pop open the circle and there will be a little hole in the middle of a motor in which this tool may be used to crank. Also, for those with electric sunroofs, pop open the little black square up by the sunroof button and you will see a little hole in which this tool may be used to crank up or down in an emergency.

18. Emergency Window Crank - see part #16 description
19. Spare Bulbs and fuses foam - This is used to store spare bulbs and fuses in case of a burnt bulb or blown fuse. This part is NLA. There are many different shapes of foam, however there are two sizes and when inserted into the tray you will see if you have the correct one. The one pictured is the correct one.
It carries two bulbs for the brake, reverse, rear fog, and blinker lights, a bulb for the license plate lights or interior lights, a bulbs for the running tail lights, and 4 fuses of choice.

20. Protectant Foam - The large toolkit had a foam that was different to the small toolkit in the fact that is shaped for the large toolkit. This part is NLA.

All part numbers can be found for the large toolkit here:

http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E30/2-doors/Europe/318i-M10/LHD/M/1984/september/browse/equipment_parts/tool_box_large/

The e28 Emergency window part numbers can be found here:

http://www.bmwmobiletradition-online.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=4274&mospid=47230&btnr=51_0364&hg=51&fg=10&hl=73

For those who wish to make the switch from the small toolkit to the large toolkit, you will see the small toolkit on the left and which tools can be removed to be placed into the large toolkit:


Let me know if you have any other questions. I think I covered it though.
Mods, please feel free to move this to an appropriate place.

[ZM Blue Devil]

this is awesome, well written and documented.

[Japandrew73]

this is awesome, well written and documented.

thanks, I always thought this would be a good writeup, but was just waiting to complete my toolkit before I did it. ;)

[evilnickwong]

Great writeup!

For #8 on the small toolkit, is that not also used as a centering guide for mounting wheels?

And referring to #7, the electric window crank, I don't have that tool and my '91 M40 318i doesn't appear to have any plugs on the door panels into which I can use that to manually crank my electric windows. Is this something on early models only?

[Alkasquawlik]

nice write up, but i doubt anyone really cares.
you seem to be one of the only ones, if not the only, person on this board that's obsessed with minor details like this, so it seems more like you bragging than anything else.
more power to you though.

[delfin]

Your #9 is useful in taking off the wheels too. I use mine with my key.

[Japandrew73]

nice write up, but i doubt anyone really cares.
you seem to be one of the only ones, if not the only, person on this board that's obsessed with minor details like this, so it seems more like you bragging than anything else.
more power to you though.

I took the time to write this to help other people. This is in no way to show off. You don't have to look at it if you don't want to. I hope this helps other people complete their toolkits and if it doesn't I guess I'm just a showoff.

For #8 on the small toolkit, is that not also used as a centering guide for mounting wheels?

And referring to #7, the electric window crank, I don't have that tool and my '91 M40 318i doesn't appear to have any plugs on the door panels into which I can use that to manually crank my electric windows. Is this something on early models only?

Yea I guess #8 could be used for the wheels too. There are many uses for the tools in the toolkit. As for your windows, that's why I put Most e30's have the black circle. I haven't established which year is the cutoff, but my sister has a '91 325i and she doesn't have the black circles either. At some point on the later e30's, they switched to a motor that isn't able to be manually cranked. Not all the tools in each of my kits above were given out to each BMW, it depended on the spec of the car. I just fill mine with everything it should have to look nice and complete... an maybe help an e28 on the side of the road crank his windows up in the rain or something

[Alkasquawlik]

Wow your a dick. I took the time to write this to help other people. This is in no way to show off. You don't have to look at it if you don't want to. I hope this helps other people complete their toolkits and if it doesn't I guess I'm just a showoff.

obviously took that the wrong way. i guess im just a dick.

[TDE30]

obviously took that the wrong way. i guess im just a dick.

Nah, I'd have to agree. Maybe this would be better placed in the DiY/FAQ section.

[z31maniac]

obviously took that the wrong way. i guess im just a dick.

And you aren't funny either.

Informative or funny. Those are the two guidelines for posting on the internet.

[evilnickwong]

Ah OK that explains it then. I also don't remember any hole for cranking when I opened up my window motors for cleaning, so I guess it must be for models with the earlier window motors. :)

[Japandrew73]

no mods think this should be moved to the FAQ Section?

[ACMF74]

does BMW sell the foam attached trunk lid?

[Japandrew73]

does BMW sell the foam attached trunk lid?

Like stated in the original post, no. The e24 one is still available, it's close to the same shape, but not quite correct.